The present invention refers to a circuit for changing over between the frequency-modulated HF signals of at least two receiving antennas.
A circuit is known from German Published Patent Application No. 35 17 247. This document describes an antenna diversity system for mobile reception of frequency-modulated HF signals, in which the diversity functions are integrated into a processor. The processor changes over from one antenna to the next when it detects interference in the audio signal simultaneously with a level fluctuation in the HF signal.
This procedure has the disadvantage, however, that in the case of a very weak signal, which as a rule is accompanied by noise in the audio signal and severe level fluctuations in the HF signal, a continual changeover between the antennas occurs. This continuous changeover in turn results in audible interference.
A remedy for this phenomenon is described in German Utility Model 89 16 287. According to this document, a threshold switch is used which switches the diversity processor back to the main antenna when the reception level at the antenna presently switched on falls below a defined value. Control is effected via the mode input of the processor, which is provided so that a fixed antenna can be switched on for AM reception. The diversity function is switched back on when a second defined level, which is greater than the first one by a specific value, is exceeded.
The consequence of this procedure is that the main antenna is switched in each time the level falls below the first threshold, and the diversity function is thus initially disabled. In some circumstances, additional connected antennas that might still furnish an interference-free reception signal are disregarded in this context. If the level of the main antenna remains below the second, higher level threshold, the diversity function is not restarted.
It is the object of the present invention to develop a circuit for changing over between the frequency-modulated HF signals of at least two receiving antennas in such a way that interference resulting from excessively frequent changing over or unnecessary changing over to a fixed antenna is avoided.
According to the present invention, the antenna diversity system is changed over to a fixed antenna only when it is certain that interference-free reception can no longer be guaranteed with any of the connected antennas.
According to the present invention, therefore, a detector is provided which, when a signal that exceeds the defined reception level is no longer being furnished by any of the antennas, applies to the control unit a signal that effects the changeover to a specific antenna (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cfixed antennaxe2x80x9d).
This ensures that all the antennas are first checked for an interference-free signal. If none of the antennas is furnishing a sufficient signal, the present invention prevents continual changing over between the antennas from resulting in audible interference, and possibly even further degrading the reception of a weak transmitter.
The advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that a switching operation back to the main antenna occurs only when an HF signal of sufficient magnitude to guarantee interference-free reception is not present at any antenna. Only in this situation is it advisable to change over to a fixed antenna (also not interference-free) in order to suppress the additional audible interference that occurs with continuous changing over.
In a preferred development, the diversity function is not switched back on until the antenna signal again exceeds the level threshold for a defined period of time.
Several embodiments are possible for the detector; two possibilities therefor are described below by way of example:
For example, the detector can evaluate the level-equivalent DC voltage from the demodulator of the antenna diversity circuit. This evaluation system contains a threshold switch that detects when the level falls below a defined antenna minimum. It is preceded by a time delay; the latter ensures that a changeover to a fixed antenna occurs only when the level falls below the threshold for a period of time that corresponds at least to the time required by the processor to poll all the connected antennas.
The time delay can be embodied, for example, as an integrator. The simplest instance is a lowpass filter, the threshold switch being constituted by an operational amplifier connected as a comparator.
In a development, the comparator can be preceded by a further comparator. The latter ensures that integration does not begin until the value actually falls below the threshold. If the integrator is connected directly to the level output of the demodulator, this has the disadvantage that the delay time depends on the magnitude of the voltage jump. This time is particularly short if the level-equivalent voltage is slowly approaching the threshold value, since the capacitor of the integration member is already charged almost to the defined threshold value.
In an alternative embodiment, the detector evaluates the switching speed of the diversity processor. This is done by monitoring the control output terminals of the processor. If a specific number of switching operations is initiated in a defined time, operation is changed over to a fixed antenna.
In particular, it is possible to connect the detector to only one control output terminal of the diversity processor. Since the diversity processor always switches the antennas on and off in the same sequence, this is sufficient for ascertaining the switching frequency and thus a criterion for changing over to a fixed antenna.
Several embodiments are also possible for selecting the fixed antenna, some of which are cited below by way of example and not exhaustively:
In the simplest case, the main antenna (AM+FM) is used as the fixed antenna. The diversity processor possesses a mode input with which, by way of a DC voltage during AM reception, it can be switched to the main antenna. This changeover capability is also used when interference-free reception is no longer possible with any of the connected antennas.
In an alternative, the fixed antenna to which a changeover is made is the antenna with the best reception. In order to identify that antenna, the antenna that was switched in for the longest time at the last pass is detected.
For detection of the best antenna, a storage element is connected to each control output terminal of the processor; in the simplest case it is a charging capacitor. This storage element is overwritten again at each pass. When changeover to the fixed antenna is to occur, the memories are compared and that antenna which was switched on for the longest time is used as the fixed antenna. In order to switch in any desired antenna, the diversity processor is switched off and the control line for the corresponding antenna is switched to the supply voltage.